- WWE revealed on Thursday that they are planning to replace their corporate jet this year as the current aircraft is nearly 20 years old. Here’s the quote from the company’s new business plan:

“Free Cash Flow is also expected to decline in 2013 due to capital expenditures of $50 million to $60 million, of which approximately 65% is an estimated one-time expenditure to replace our aging corporate jet, which is nearly 20 years old. We expect the acquisition of the aircraft will be financed at attractive rates, and that the sale of our current aircraft will offset a significant portion of the down payment.”

– WWE also revealed some more information on the WWE Network. They officially stated that one of their plans will be to include all pay-per-views except WrestleMania on the network and price it between $12.99 and $14.99 per month. Here’s an excerpt:

“Regarding a potential WWE network, we are evaluating multiple approaches. We believe that a premium subscription model is the best approach in the U.S. to capitalize on our fans’ commitment to our brands and their desire for more WWE content. Based on our market research, we estimate that a fully distributed domestic pay network could ultimately attract between 2 million and 4 million subscribers at a “steady state.” These subscriber estimates derive from a projected base of approximately 47 million WWE digital TV households in the US (including lapsed fans), and the proportion of which have an affinity for WWE content, although there is no guarantee that this affinity will translate into actual subscribers. 5 These take-rates are based on a value proposition for the network that reflects inclusion of our pay-per-view events, except WrestleMania, as well as compelling original content. Under our preferred subscription model, while our pay-per-view events would still be offered on an á la carte basis as currently available, the research indicates that a WWE network offering would drive significant consumer interest (including households that currently do not purchase pay-per-view events). At a proposed price per month between $12.99 and $14.99, this would represent incremental revenue to WWE of between $125 million and $250 million and incremental EBITDA between $50 million and $150 million. Actual results are contingent on several factors, including the necessity of entering into distribution agreements, 6 and such results could vary materially from the expected range based on the rate of subscriber adoption and churn rates, as well as changes in pricing, promotion levels and distribution terms. Until a base of approximately 1 million subscribers is achieved, we estimate the network would represent a net investment for WWE. Ultimately, we believe a network and other distribution and monetization options would represent a sizable economic opportunity in the U.S. and internationally.”